Before You Give Up, Read This
But throwing in the towel is seldom the best answer. I have discovered that hardship, endured with patience, faith and the best attitude you can muster, brings tremendous personal growth. As my old football coach used to say, “No pain, no gain.”
So, what should you do when you feel like giving up?
1. Face up to reality.
It pays to know the facts. Problems don’t usually disappear by ignoring them. A clear picture of reality – even if it’s bad – is better than an unrealistic hope.
Discern between a problem and a fact of life. If you can do something about it, it’s a problem. If you can’t – it’s just a fact of life. We need to fix the problems, and accept the facts of life.
2. Reach up to God
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). There is no better place to turn in difficulty than to God.
One day, facing a hard situation, I felt like giving up, and then I sensed God’s whisper to my heart. “That’s exactly what you need to do. Give it UP. . . to Me!”
If your problems are deep seated and long standing – try kneeling!
3. Fill up your tank.
Some activities drain you while others replenish you. Do you know which is which? In especially demanding seasons, make sure your energy is restored by replenishing. You will probably have to prioritize and schedule this in order to get it.
4. Straighten up your attitude
Don’t cave into “stinkin’ thinkin’. A bad attitude will spoil everything for you. Negativity multiplies the difficulty by ten.
The best way to adjust your attitude is to begin praising the Lord and counting your blessings blessings. It is nearly impossible to say “Praise the Lord” with a frown.
5. Lift up someone else
Another person is going through harder times than you. Find that person and bring encouragement. Bringing blessing to others is like giving your dog a bath. You’ll both get soaked in the process.
This is really good. I like the one where you said the different between a problem and a fact of life. Inspired.
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